Collaborating With People From Other Professions

A sometimes overlooked element of collaboration is the practice of merging ideas and energy with from totally different walks of life professionally. Not only does this expand the knowledge and experience of all parties involved with new concepts, but it also brings about fresh perspectives that one cannot usually discover when working with people within the same field.

For example, if a musician / singer-songwriter writes songs for a living, then that is something that can be applied to almost anything. Humans love adding the element of music to their projects. Whether it is a movie that would be far more impactful with a score, a charity gala where some light music would set the mood, or even a grocery store that has its own radio playing store-wide on constant rotation to help shoppers feel more relaxation for when they are standing in line, one thing is true across all these settings; people, humans... we all love music.

Musings, CollaborationJimmy ClarkMay 22, 2019Comment

3 Ways To Stay Motivated

Motivation is something that seems to come and go. What is it that drives us to pursue something? Where does that fire originate, and more importantly, how do we keep that fire lit? Motivation, the thing that pushes us forward, but the thing that also can be daunting and overwhelming. How do we wrestle this beast into serving us instead of scaring us? Here are some tips I can share from my experiences:

1. Gimmie fuel, gimmie fire, gimmie that which I desire!! YEAH!!

Music Education, Musings, Creativity, Health & WellnessJimmy ClarkMay 20, 2019Comment

5 Reasons Musicians Can Benefit From A Yoga Practice Routine Blog

I have been a yogi almost as long as I have been a musician. I started music at around age twelve, and I found yoga probably somewhere around sixteen or so, and both have been constants in my life ever since. To write about each and every time yoga has made it possible for me to keep being a musician would take one hundred thousand words, as would describing all of the times that music and yoga have crossed paths on my journey. I will certainly try here, in this blog,to quantize my experiences into a few worthy bullet points intended to help musicians and yogis bridge the gap between their worlds.

Musings, Health & Wellness, Creativity, MusicJimmy ClarkMay 19, 2019Comment

Are You Really Doing What You Want To Do In Your Life?

If I were to ask you, “Do you love your job?” or “Do you love your life?,” What would you say?... How fast would you be able to respond?... Would you try to deny your truest answer?

The truth is that a lot of people go through life feeling like they haven’t found their niche, or that they haven’t really discovered their “purpose”, as some would say.

Music Education, MusingsJimmy ClarkMay 18, 2019 Comment

5 Tips For Successful Collaboration

When collaborating, there are many dynamics at play. These dynamics can include elements of individual personality characteristics, quantity and quality of egos, experience, and onward. Collaboration is an ever-evolving process and practice, and with time it can yield the sweetest of results creatively, no matter what your medium. Following are some tips on how I have personally cultivated my creative relationships.

1. Check Your Ego at the Door

Musings, Collaboration, CreativityJimmy ClarkMay 17, 2019Comment

Going outside your comfort zone to find Inspiration and the roots of New Creation

Down time is crucial, plain and simple. Even in alchemy, there is a phase called separation, where the matter breaks apart and reveals new characteristics and qualities that can be utilized in new and exciting ways. The important thing though is to allow time for such a process to occur.

More importantly, while it’s good to be able to be a driven, creative person, nurturing a life outside the walls of creation is incredibly valuable for maintaining a sense of personal balance.

Musings, Creativity, Health & WellnessJimmy ClarkMay 16, 2019 Comment

5 Ways To Be Healthy As A Creative Professional

The arts industries are often rife with stories of decadence, debauchery, and all too often, unfortunate outcomes. The old mantra “Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll…” rings all too true. It kind of comes with the territory, and really any industry is going to experience crossovers. Music and video are often synced art appears in TV shows and on posters for concerts, fashion utilizes all of these elements, and so on. It’s all connected. And the reality is that in these industries, more so than say, being a grocery store regional manager, there are illicit substances, alcohol, late nights, parties, after-parties, and all of the things you can imagine. In many ways, it’s the nature of the industry and it’s apparent within all levels of the business. Provided in this list are some pieces of wisdom that I have collected over the years that have helped me maintain a personal standard of excellence, but most importantly, sustainable longevity and abundance.

Health & Wellness, CreativityJimmy ClarkMay 15, 2019Comment

"Practice", and "Play"

The expression “practice makes perfect” is one of those concepts that transcends geography, race, class, and just about all other boundaries. It’s a concept that is often implemented by teachers, mentors, guides, and gurus across the globe. Why is that? - It’s because well..., it’s true. Without the routine of practice finding its way into a person’s life, then there is literally not going to be an opportunity to discover, hone, and master a skill. Some say it takes 10,000 hours, others say a lifetime, and some even say that true mastery is idealistic, which is by definition, unattainable yet strived for… It all depends on who you are talking to.

Music Education, MusingsJimmy ClarkMay 14, 2019 Comment

3 TIPS TO PREVENT A COLLABORATION FROM GOING SOUR

Collaboration is all about bringing people, ideas, and skills together to serve something greater than any of the individual components. It’s a relationship, and therefore it needs to maintain a healthy balance to optimally function. That’s not to say that some conflict is bad; the old saying that conflict breeds creation does actually hold weight. Whether or not the conflict or drama becomes the nucleus of a collaboration is a different thing altogether. Creation is a joyous process, and it should (hopefully) mostly be about the journey of having nothing, to having something... Thoughts become things…. That’s the ideal outcome of collaboration. Sometimes though, toxicity can get in the way and disrupt that process. Here are some tell tale signs that a collaboration dynamic is going sour…

Musings, CollaborationJimmy ClarkMay 13, 2019Comment

JC Music & Wellness Blog